The
WPA Index to Alabama Biography was a Works Progress Administration project begun in the 1930s and then abandoned when funding for the WPA was curtailed. Although the index was never completed, over 97 titles such as Who's Who in America, other biographical dictionaries, and local histories were indexed by the workers. It is an invaluable tool for researching Alabama biographical sources.

Did You Know?

If you have questions about food safety, including storage, handling, and preparation of the Thanksgiving turkey, you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.CST.; or visit
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/help/FAQs_Food_Safety/for online help.

Read 'Em and Eat—Rely on BPL Collection for Holiday Menu Ideas

The Birmingham Public Library owns more than 1,000 cookbooks. If you’re looking for classic recipes that are tried and true or you need fresh ideas to update your holiday menu, check out our cookbook collection.

Cookbooks have been written in almost every literate society. Amelia Simmons is credited with publishing the first American cookbook in Connecticut in 1796. The book was an American original and the first listed ingredient was cornmeal. More cookbooks followed in the 19th century, including the Virginia Housewife. However, these cookbooks were very different from the ones we use today. They did not give sizes of the dishes used in baking, the number of servings, temperatures, or the amount of flour to add. Cooks during this era added as much flour as needed until it felt correct. ...learn more

Board Approves Winter Hours for Neighborhood Libraries

At its regularly scheduled November meeting, the Birmingham Public Library Board of Trustees approved a winter operating schedule for its six neighborhood libraries.

Beginning Monday, November 21, neighborhood libraries in Ensley, Inglenook, North Avondale, Powderly, Woodlawn, and Wylam will maintain a temporary schedule through Friday, March 2, 2012. The hours of operation will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. On Wednesdays, the libraries operate from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. All other BPL locations maintain their regular schedules.

The neighborhood libraries will continue to close each day from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. for lunch. All are closed on Wednesday mornings in order for staff to get behind-the-scenes work done, perform community outreach activities, and participate in training as well as system-wide meetings.

John Akin, Jim Baggett, and BPL Director Renee Blalock examine one of six City Federal Savings & Loan scrapbooks found in the City Federal Building. Photo courtesy of The Birmingham News.

Decades-Old City Federal Scrapbooks Donated to Archives Department

Birmingham Public Library was the recipient of several scrapbooks donated by Ingram & Associates. An employee of the real estate firm recently discovered six large scrapbooks in a closet of the City Federal Building, which is being turned into condos. The scrapbooks are filled with photos, documents, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia that reveal the history of the landmark 1913 building, and offer a peek at some of the events that took place there through the decades. ...learn more

Dolores Hydock Performs Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory"

Join us for our annual tradition with Birmingham storyteller and actress Dolores Hydock as she presents "A Christmas Memory." Truman Capote's poignant reminiscence of his boyhood in rural Alabama is brought to vivid life in this wonderful holiday performance scheduled for Wednesday, November 30, noon, in the Arrington Auditorium of the Central Library. ....learn more

The Birmingham Public Library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday, November 24 thru Sunday, November 27. The Library will reopen Monday, November 28.